Croatia's 18-month-old reformist government won a crucial vote of confidence in parliament early this morning.
The vote strengthens its position ahead of the politically explosive extradition of senior war crimes suspects.
Prime Minister Mr Ivica Racan's government won the vote by 93 to 36 votes - more than the 76 needed in the 151-seat chamber.
The early morning vote took place after a heated debate lasting more than 12 hours and a temporary walkout by some nationalist MPs opposed to the plan to extradite the suspects to the United Nations war crimes tribunal in The Hague.
"I am satisfied. It is important that in moments such as this, the country's highest bodies . . . show the sensitivity for the moment," Mr Racan said after the vote.
Parliament will continue discussing the constitutional position on cooperation with the Hague tribunal and the possibility of a national referendum on the issue, demanded by the nationalist HDZ party of the late president Mr Franjo Tudjman.